The Protégé

Chapter 5

The brightness of the sun burned my eyes. I pulled my cloak over my face to hide from it, and we made the long walk to the city. The market was lively and bustling. Seeing all of these people made my head swim. Ortan was at my side giving me support.

"It's alright, my lady. Just breathe."

I nodded at his instruction and followed him around the different stalls, collecting supplies to bring home. The list Seranni gave me was longer than my arm, and I had to squint to make out some of her handwriting. After a half a day of getting everything on her list and selling some old armor, we decided to head back to the castle. We were at the edge of the market when I suddenly got the wind knocked out of me. A body bounced off mine and fell to the ground. It belonged to a young, blond human male in a big hat.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" I set my bag down to help him up. I walked behind him and brushed the dust off his back before walking back around to face him. "Are you alright? That looked like a nasty tumble!"

A smile covered his face before he bet down to hug me. I let out an oh of surprise before returning the embrace. Was he soft in the head or something?

"I knew you were alive," he whispered in my ear. "They said you died, but I knew it wasn't true."

I froze in his arms. He knew me? "You must be confused. We've never met."

I felt him stiffen. "You forgot. The mine collapsed, and you hit your head. You lost your memory."

"What?" Shock jolted through me. How did he know about my memory loss and the mine collapse?

Ortan cleared his throat. "We'd best be get going, my lady."

I nodded. "Alright, Ortan."

"Ask Regret," the boy whispered as he released me.

I turned back to Ortan and saw the boy had a companion. He looked like a male elf who got the shock of his life. The boy went over to him and quickly whispered something before turning back to me.

"I'm Cole, by the way."

I grinned at him. "I'll try to remember that." I hope he caught my meaning.

His small nod told me he did. My eyes slid back to the elf who had hidden his surprise. I was unsure if I should know him. For some reason, his presence brought out a bittersweet feeling in me. I had to shrug it off as Ortan placed my bags in my arms.

"Best get moving," he said gruffly.

I nodded in agreement and waved at the two. Even as I turned around, I could feel a pair of eyes burning a hole in my back. It was a feeling that didn't go away even after we vanished into the Wending Wood.

I chewed on my lip as I thought about what the boy said.

"Are you alright, my lady?"

"Oh, yes, Ortan. Don't mind me!" I smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach my eyes.

He sighed. "Just ask, my lady."

I pursued my lips before replying. "Is what he said true? Did I know him?"

"Probably."

"So the master lied." The statement hung in the air like a sword.

Then, it dropped. "About your past, yes."

"What's going to happen to me when we get back?" My body became a statue; it was so rigid.

"Nothing." I looked at Ortan in shock. "The master knew you might find out or remember. He took you because you have the potential to help us all. He's trying to find a cure for the Blight or a way to manage it at least. You'll either become his true protégé of your own will, or you'll remain a guest until we can figure out how to return you."

"Why am I different?"

He shrugged. "He said you both had the same... feeling."

"Both?"

"The warden. Something about a feeling of destiny."

I let out a wooden laugh. "Sounds like something Varric said to me."

"Who?"

"I... don't know." My brow furrowed. "Why would I say that?" A fuzzy memory of a dwarf commenting on my being destined due to my divinely bad luck fluttered through my mind. "I think he was a dwarf I knew."

"Your memories are already beginning to come back then."

We continued our walk back in silence. The entrance came into view a little after the sun had set. I hesitated to enter.

"Do you think I should chose to help?"

Ortan halted and looked at me with wise eyes. "I think you should do what you think is best. At the end of the day, all we have is our consciences and our choices."

The council could've been biased, but it wasn't. I nodded in agreement, and we began our descent into the caves. We eventually found our way to the kitchens where I dropped of everything Seranni had asked for. Ortan vanished soon after. I grabbed some food and made myself some tea before whirling up to my room. I pulled out my bathtub and summoned some hot water. I scribbled a note on some parchment and pinned it to my door before locking it, so I wouldn't be bothered.

After undressing, I sank into the hot water with a sigh. I grabbed one of the washcloths, dipped it into the water, and placed it over my eyes. Tiredness seeped into my bones, and I fell into sleep and the Fade.